Getting into Remote Work as a Junior?

Question

Hi HN,I'd like to get a remote programming job but I don't have much professional experience. (A few months here and there for small companies.) Is this a viable path or do I need to get more experience first?I've been checking out remote job ads and seems almost everyone is looking for people with years of work experience (so they don't have to hand-hold them -- understandable!).I have a hunch I can bypass the years-of-experience hurdle by having a really cool portfolio, is that accurate? I'm not sure exactly what that would look like. (I have hundreds of really small side-projects, I feel like I need more "substantial" projects. Mostly code for my own amusement, I have bots, crawlers, youtube audio extractor... no typical CRUD apps)I've had major impostor syndrome, spent years self-learning web dev and put off applying for jobs, and today my friend told me that he had less experience than me when he got his first job: "The first few days they just paid me to do Angular tutorials." That really blew my mind. But they hired him out of uni (I dropped out) and it wasn't a remote position.I'm super introverted, would really prefer not to work in an office so remote work really sounds ideal. (I'm considering freelance but it might be too extroverted with all the sales, negotiation etc).For some context, social interaction for me is like pulling teeth (I had some office jobs and it was not for me), and I've just run out of savings. So I'm working my ass thru Udemy courses and hoping it'll be enough!Please advise? :) Thank you!PS. I am in the EU, if that makes any difference.

vibesngrooves · Accepted Answer

I think it is important to highlight what process works best for you and emphasize that to employers. Personally, I am more productive working remotely, in control of my environment and surroundings, and I frame that as a positive aspect of my contribution for the organization. Sure, some people want to see numbers or hear about previous experiences within a certain context, but I think it's all about communicating how you align with, and contribute to, that context. I've worked remotely as both a junior and more experienced engineer - mentoring junior engineers remotely; there's capacity for remote work at all levels. I think some employers are more curious about your remote processes than actual experience (e.g. how do you handle working with people in different time zones, what sort of productivity and communication tools do you use to work asynchronously). I highly suggest contributing to an open-source project that you use or are interested in - even if it's something small like committing documentation or fixing a minor issue. That is some of the most meaningful and fulfilling asynchronous remote work experience to tout. Don't get discouraged. The world is massive. You will find people that value your skills and talents, and you will obtain what you are seeking if you stick to it. I hope this helps. Cheers!

_ah · Answer

Working for any company means working with people. That's easier to do in person. If you're remote, that doesn't mean that you no longer have to communicate. It means you have to work even harder to communicate to overcome the limitations of the medium.
Minimum years of experience has nothing to do with code output, and everything to do with ability to work in a professional context. Your cool projects won't help you here.
If you're proposing remote work to escape social situations, this means that you will not be a very capable employee (sorry). Your long term career prospects are likely to be limited. No matter how awesome your side projects are, I believe you will have a better return-on-effort long term if you seek counseling and improve your ability to interact socially.

duxup · Answer

I think it is a trust factor... people just don't know what they are going to get with a Jr.
I took my first coding job where it was understood that I would eventually be able to work from home 1 to 2 days a week.
After establishing myself it became 3 days a week... often 4 or 5.
You might want to look into local places that allow work from home a little and see if you can work your way into a bit more.

yourdjsupreme · Answer

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yourdjsupreme · Answer

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